The present invention relates to a single-step method for the simultaneous decomposition and activation of highly dispersed noble metals on catalytic supports.
Currently, most noble metal catalysts are made by impregnating or exchanging noble metal complexes into or onto a catalytic support. It is dried to remove water and then calcined in air to decompose the highly dispersed noble metal complexes to the noble metal oxides. In a separate step, the noble metal oxides must then be reduced in the presence of hydrogen to produce the active, highly dispersed noble metals. Combining the decomposition and reduction of the noble metal complexes into a single step would significantly reduce the manufacturing cost of noble metal catalysts. The present invention is a method for decomposition and reduction in a single step with noble metal complexes for impregnation or exchange.